Life’s A Picnic With New Cult Gaia “Gaias Ark” Bag
Cult Gaia initially earned a massive fan base thanks to its stunning floral crowns, beloved by many a Coachella-loving celebrity, an playful turbands (of which I own at least five!), the latter consisting of malleable fabric headbands with wires at their centers so that wearers can bend the fabric to fit the contours of their head, then twist the ends to create turban-worthy knots, leave them dangling like playful bunny ears, or flatten them for a sleeker effect. Over the years, the brand has been steadily expanding, first introducing island-flavored crop tops, A-line skirts, and sarongs, then moving onto launch an adorable range of “ears” (Ariana Grande-worthy headbands with cat and bunny ears fashioned out of lace, pearls, satin, mesh, and leather) and an on-trend collection of choker necklaces. Now, Cult Gaia is sure to increase its cult following by venturing into the realm of handbags.
A true work of wearable art, the new Cult Gaia “Gaias Ark” handbag ($88-$98 at CultGaia.com) was inspired by traditional Japanese picnic bags, and it will give any outfit some bite. Made of bamboo, this clutch bag features a half-moon shape, with rectangular strips of bamboo positioned in a starburst-like pattern along the lower half of the bag, then running horizontally along the upper section of the clutch. If you look closely, you’ll notice the alternating lengths of the bamboo pieces, which is part of what makes the design so interesting since it creates a much more dynamic pattern: the half-moon shape, for instance, is accentuated because of the semblance of concentric half-circles, an effect created thanks to the varying bamboo lengths. Similarly, along the upper portion of the bag, the bamboo strips that cover the sides are markedly longer than those along the center, so that the middle portion almost looks like a rope ladder.
The elongated front and back pieces, meanwhile, come together at the top, forming an apex-like shape, each of their edges finished off with a broader and sturdier bamboo slab. These same pieces, meanwhile, can be folded outward for easy access to all of the bag’s contents, or folded inward to seal the clutch.
Already, Ciara, Kylie Jenner, and Jessica Alba have been spotted rocking this handbag, and over 1,800 people were on the waitlist once it initially sold out. Now that the bag is back in stock, it won’t be long before it sells out yet again, so get yours while the gettin’ is good!
